Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Metallica1234

New member
Hi, I just bought an Epiphone Les Paul Standard. I want to replace the bridge pickup. I want a pickup that will give me the clean sounds like Sanitarium, Fade to Black, basically a good clean sound. I also want a nice distorted sound that sounds good when palm muting and has nice harmonics. I was thinking about buying a DimeBucker. Will that give me what I'm looking for?
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

JB in a Les Paul always provided me with those tones. Can't tell you about the Dimebucker, sorry.:smokin:
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Custom in a Les Paul is something you should try.. tho the cleans are just OK and can be tweaked to be real nice, it is a sound you should try in a Les Paul, it gives it some attitude!
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

The cleans from a Dimebucker are going to be a little dodgy, not so good. I'd say the Custom is the place to start on your quest. It's still a ceramic magnet, so your distortion will be nice and tight with good palm muting, but it will clean up nicely and give a much better clean tone.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Custom does Metallica really well in a Les Paul. I love mine. It's best for Hetfield-type stuff, not so much the Kirk side of things. Go for it.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Thanks for the help. I'm kind of looking for a lead sound (like Kirk's). I might go to Guitar Center and try out the DimeBucker just to see if I like the sound of it.

P.S. How about the SH-6 distortion? And how would it cost to have a pickup installed. Can I have it wired to one volume and one tone?
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

P.S. How about the SH-6 distortion? And how would it cost to have a pickup installed. Can I have it wired to one volume and one tone?

Rates for installation vary from shop to shop, but generally they either charge by the hour, or have set rates for certain tasks like installing pickups. If you're having just one pup installed, I can't see it being more than $25 bucks or so.

However, if you have a soldering iron, or a friend who does, it's really easy to do, and you get a great sense of accomplishment from doing it. Once you do it yourself, you'll wonder why you ever paid someone to do it. You'll also probably start on the journey of becomming a pickup swaping junkie like the rest of us.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Custom or Distortion all the way for Metallica. Plus those pups can cover alot of territory and far as tone goes.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

How about the Alnico II humbucker? Will that work for metal/rock?

Well Sevendust's guitarist used the Custom Custom (Custom with Alnico II magnet), but other than that, I doubt that you can use it for metal, or virtually any other Alnico II pickup.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

but other than that, I doubt that you can use it for metal, or virtually any other Alnico II pickup.

This could not be farther from the truth. If you have a good rock/metal amp, the APH will do wonders.

How about the Alnico II humbucker? Will that work for metal/rock?

Very, very well. I had one in my Dean Hardtail for years, and it will do anything....provided you have the amp to get the distortion. The thing I like most about the APH is that it retains clarity no matter how much gain you throw at it. The bottom end isn't as squishy in the bridge as you would expect from an A2 magnet, and what does squish can be compensated for with the bass and presence control on your amp.

In the neck, the APH is the most singing, warm, articulate HB Seymour makes. It will be super clean and warm, or singing like violin under heavy gain with the tone control turned down.

I always say the APH is like slipping into a warm bath filled with honey, and splashed with the essence of virgins. It's that good.

Click on my soundclips in my sig, and listen to the APH clean to OD demo. It sings really, really well. The guitar in that clip is my Dean Hardtail. Mahogany body, maple cap and ebony fretboard, thru my JCM 800.
 
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Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Well Sevendust's guitarist used the Custom Custom (Custom with Alnico II magnet), but other than that, I doubt that you can use it for metal, or virtually any other Alnico II pickup.

Woah WOAH... hold up there. While they won't be quiet as aggressive in the sense of a ceramic or the like they'll work fine just depending on what your wanting exactly.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Woah WOAH... hold up there. While they won't be quiet as aggressive in the sense of a ceramic or the like they'll work fine just depending on what your wanting exactly.

Sorry, I own one. The bass is NOT tight (and this guitar is fully-maple-bodied: my Ibanez, except the rosewood fretboard). It works for rhythm work, sure, but even then, you must tighten the bass using effects (in my opinion) if you'll ever get tight bass out of it. The only other way is maybe if there's a body wood with a naturally tight bass, more so than soft maple. If there is, maybe the CC would work, but I am highly sceptical of anyone being able to use the CC as a metal pickup. Hard rock? Sure. Metal (i.e. Metallica, Megadeth, Disturbed), no.

EDIT: However, if someone has clips of it, or any other Alnico II magnet pickup, that can do tight-bass metal, let me know, as I'm willing to "submit" if I hear it. Otherwise, I cannot believe that the CC, or any other Alnico II magnet pickup, can do metal. Look at the pickups with Alnico II magnets and their description on the Seymour Duncan page: not one claims it can do metal. I know because I've honestly looked desperately for one that can. This is the whole train of logic that is selling my Ibanez soon: all-maple-body means it's hella-bright, and therefore Alnico II magnets should be used, but since none can do metal, good bye Ibanez. I don't need a wanna-be-Lite-Ash: I have a Lite Ash Strat now, so the Ibanez must go.

EDIT2: And for the record, Slash is not considered metal: he's classic rock sounding.

EDIT3: However, yes, the CC can do heavy rock, but not heavy metal. Sevendust is considered alternative, not metal.

EDIT4: Nevermind, soft maple has dull sounding lows. Let me do more research, but I'm still sceptical.
 
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Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

It might not be the exact type of magnet for you in regards to metal but it'll do it. Metal does not always = the tightest low end of all time when it comes to pickups. Believe it or not there are some metal bands that play with quiet an organic tone.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

It might not be the exact type of magnet for you in regards to metal but it'll do it. Metal does not always = the tightest low end of all time when it comes to pickups.

Well in my opinion, you might be able to play metal on Alnico II, but you'd end up being either the rhythm player or a high-register-only lead player. To me it don't have the low end necessary. I own a Lite Ash and it won't do metal without modifying the tone using effects. Granted, it could do metal leads, since it's so sensitive to pick attack and such, like a friend commented when he heard some stuff I recorded on it. I just don't feel it's what's needed with metal.

Granted, I don't like how the main metal "crowd" seems to be going towards the absolutely insanest-sounding stuff they can find just because it's so dang dark and loud. I mean, do these people seriously ever play any music other than metal? I prefer my versatility, but I'm not sure if it's who I am or what music I play.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

How about the SH-6 distortion?



Excellent, one of my personal favorites in a Les Paul. I have to admit that I have not tried the Custom in any of my LP's even though it was next on my list to try, after the SH-6. I never gave another pickup a chance after trying the SH-6, I was completely happy with it.

Do some research and install your pickup yourself like Jeff recommended, you will feel like you saved some money and accomplished something.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to try out.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

Just to be clear here TR, doesn't your Lite Ash Strat have Alnico II singles? We're talking about the Alnico II Pro Humbucker. Of course your singles will not sound metal at all.

If I mis read what you were saying, then skip this altogether.
 
Re: Pickup for Les Paul (Need Help Please)

19 posts and not one person's said it yet....

Hetfield.....EMG 60 neck/EMG 81 bridge

Hammet.....EMG 81 bridge and neck.

The 60 in the neck will give you Sanitarium cleans.
 
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